The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the Gods?
Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night, I toss and I turn
And I dream of what I need
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
Larger than life (ah, ah)
Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feet (yeah)
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear there is someone, somewhere
Watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood
(Like a fire in my blood, like a fire in my blood)
(Like a fire in my blood, like a fire in my, oh, oh)
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
Woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
And where are all the Gods?
Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night, I toss and I turn
And I dream of what I need
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
Larger than life (ah, ah)
Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feet (yeah)
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear there is someone, somewhere
Watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood
(Like a fire in my blood, like a fire in my blood)
(Like a fire in my blood, like a fire in my, oh, oh)
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
Woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo
Lyrics submitted by Boonechic_21
Holding Out for a Hero Lyrics as written by James Richard Steinman Dean Pitchford
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Man, this song is so great. It makes me wanna run /really/ fast and save like... some kittens and their sexy owner from a burning building.
It's probably for the best I don't put it on a cd for my walkman.
nods sagely
I get worried whenever this song comes on the car radio; I have to fight the urge to floor the gas pedal...<br />
I love this song, at the moment it's llike my theme tune! The crazy drumming, the words "it's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet..." it's all so good! And Bonnie Tyler herself has such a powerful voice, just listen to Total Eclipse of the Heart to hear that. It makes me feel like strutting, dancing, singing along. Love this song!
great song. Some call it cheesy but I love it. Fans of this song should check out work from its creator, Jim Steinman. He us a crazy genius! Tc
This song has appeared in many movies. And that is because it conveys such a common message. The need to be rescued. And while being in many movies may have cheapened its value, that enabled it to reach a larger audience. I cant help but rock out to the song when I see Tom Candy in "Who's Harry Crumb" chasing after the airplane or Johnny 5 in "Short Circuit 2" taking out the bad guy.
I need help, I know..
ugh. i think the emery cover is horrible. and the "surprise" at the end it DREADFUL.
i just read the comments on here and decided to buy it on itunes. that was a bigger mistake than buying "lean like a holo" hahaha lmao! really i didnt like it.
Eeeh yeah. I was just about to say, this gotta be the cheesiest song of the 80's (and there was some pretty cheesy stuff being made back then). But that's why I love it!
This song was SO popular. We females used to sing it even though we also found it cheesy and musically-lacking. It was a type of anthem.
The lyrics speak for themselves, the music speaks for itself. Both a lot, lot cleverer than you'd think.
More cheesy than a ploughmans lunch but absolutely wonderful. For B5 fans (you know who you are) watch the fan video featuring this as the soundtrack.
great song, and it has been in SO many movies. Also, this song was written when Tyler was worried about her abusive (ex?) husband coming back and harming her. I love this song. Truly. Although, it's sad as to why she wrote it, but still. And i'm surprised not more people have sent in their comments for this song.
@mormongurl Um...no.<br /> <br /> The song was written by Jim 'Everything's A Melodrama' Steinman and Dean Pitchford (the latter was the screenwriter for the movie "Footloose", and he wrote the nine songs featured in the soundtrack). For this song's scene, Pitchford employed the help of Steinman to create an over-the-top dramatic (some might say 'cheesy') anthem for a climatic scene in the film.<br /> <br /> Steinman suggested Bonnie Tyler for the singer, since he'd worked with her in the past and was impressed with her ability (and her suitability for such a...powerful song).<br /> <br /> ...and Tyler nailed it when they recorded it - her performance just embodies the thrill, anxiety, tension, the 'building storm' that the song brings to mind.<br /> <br /> It's been used in many movies, shows (and even games) for the archetypal 'race to the rescue' scene/climax, because IT WORKS PERFECTLY FOR THAT.<br /> <br /> I won't comment on the covers since I haven't gotten around to listening to any of them; I'm still listening to this rendition regularly, over thirty years later.
the meaning of this song is obvious, timeless, and universal...
a few months ago an emo band called Emery released a cover of this. I think its better then the original. It's absolutely breathtaking. They did everything perfectly and at the end of the song they have a surprise waiting for you.. listen to it and see for yourself what it is.
the first time I heard this song was when I watched Shrek 2 :p. I loved it and my Mom suggested watching Footloose and getting the soundtrack. I swear I listen to this song everyday.